Multi-purpose connector for enteral application

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a multipurpose container made in two pieces and having three distal and two proximal connectors arranged concentrically in one another and coaxially to one another and made differently and having a venting passage. The multipurpose container is used in gravity-assisted and pump-assisted enteral feeding and serves for the connection of transfer systems to storage containers, in particular to nutrient and balancing liquid containers having differently designed openings. The invention also relates to a set for enteral application comprising a transfer system and the multipurpose container in accordance with the invention and furthermore to the use of the multipurpose container or of the set.

The invention relates to a multipurpose connector for the connection ofenteral transfer systems to storage containers, in particular tonutrient and balancing liquid containers, having differently deignedopenings in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. The connector canbe used in enteral feeding both in pump-assisted systems and in gravitycontrolled systems. The invention also relates to a set having at leastone such multipurpose connector. The invention furthermore relates tothe use of the multipurpose connector or of a set having at least onesuch multipurpose connector.

If a patient is no longer able to ingest or swallow food due to adisease, the most important nutrients can be supplied to him in liquidform via a feed probe.

The feed probe is either guided temporarily through the nose into thestomach or into the small intestine or it is permanently placed in thestomach or small intestine via a small puncture site through theabdominal wall. A transfer system connects the feed probe to thenutrient and balancing liquid container.

The transfer system comprises a tube with or without a drip chamber, adistal connector for connection to the enteral storage container and aproximal connector to the feed probe.

The enteral nutrient solution or balancing liquid is stored incontainers, flasks or bags whose openings are admittedly normed or atleast standardized, but which can be of different designs. The followingare common inter alia: wide-mouth containers, for example containers orbottles made of glass or plastic with wide-mouth threads and additionalaluminum or plastic protective foils, furthermore narrow-mouthcontainers such as crown cap bottles with a mouthpiece in accordancewith DIN 6094 made of glass or hard plastic, and flexible containerssuch as pre-filled plastic bags with a puncture port.

The differently shaped storage container openings also requiredifferent, respectively adapted connectors for connection to thetransfer system. The provision of different connectors adapted to therespective storage container type, however, increases the costs andmoreover results in an increased handling effort such as the necessityof the laborious location of a suitable connector, of storage and ofchanging the connector during the application.

An adapter for the connection of enteral transfer systems is known fromEP 0 355 795. The adapter is made of plastic and has two caps arrangedcoaxially to one another and having different opening diameters.However, the integration of a spike is lacking so that an additionalconnector with a transfer system is necessary for connection to theprimary package containers made as bags or plastic containers with aport connector used in more than 50% of cases in enteral applications.The positioning of the vent valve at the inner side of the connector orin the interior of the nutrition and balancing liquid container isfurthermore disadvantageous since blockages and a subsequent stop ofconveying flow can occur.

A universal connector is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,204 to whichcontainers having three different opening diameters can be connected,with a spike representing one of the connection possibilities. A ventopening is, however, lacking in this known connector so that it is notsuitable for use on rigid containers. The connector can furthermore notbe directly connected to a transfer system, but can only be screwed intoa wide-mouth bottle system.

A universal bottle closure is known from EP 0 711 538 having twodifferently sized coaxially arranged caps. The caps are made ofdifferent materials. The missing spike, on the one hand, and the risertube integrated for the venting, on the other hand, are disadvantageoushere. The latter makes it necessary that test liquid still remains inthe container after the application.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a multipurposeconnector for the connection of enteral transfer systems to storagecontainers having differently designed openings, said multipurposeconnector having a variety of possibilities of use.

This object is satisfied by a multipurpose connector having the featuresof claim 1.

The multipurpose connector in accordance with the invention has threedifferent distal connectors and two different proximal connectors. Allconnectors are disposed concentrically in one another and coaxially toone another. An outer, a middle and an inner connector, which are eachof different design, are located at the side remote from the patient,i.e. the distal side. Wide-mouth containers and narrow-mouth containersmade of glass or plastic or also flexible storage containers withpuncture ports can be connected in this manner. The advantages of a verycost-effective manufacture result on the basis of the product portfoliostreamlined by the unification of different storage container variantsand the thereby arising reduction in material and installation effort.Further advantages of the connector in accordance with the invention forthe user can be found in the simplified handling and the less complexstorage. The different storage containers and/or nutrient containers canalso be used alternatingly, for example, without the connectorsimultaneously having to be changed.

Two further connectors, likewise disposed concentrically in one anotherand coaxially to one another, are located on the oppositely disposedside facing the patient, i.e. the proximal side, for direct assemblywith a drip chamber or a tube.

Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The multipurpose connector is a two-piece injection molded part made ofplastic and so cost-effective in manufacture. A part piece in thisrespect comprises the outer part, the middle part and a part of theinner distal connector and the two proximal connectors. Both part piecesare plugged into one another in production and latch in so doing. Thepossibility is advantageous in two-part manufacture of being able to usedifferent material types or degrees of material hardness. It is,however, also possible to manufacture the multipurpose connector in onepiece.

In an embodiment of the invention, the outer distal connector isprovided with a screw thread, the middle distal connector is made as asnap connection and the inner distal connector is made as a guide with athread and a central spike. The central spike has lateral materialcut-outs which prevent the formation of residual liquid.

Wide-mouth containers, for example bottles having a wide-mouth thread,can be connected to the outer connector and narrow-mouth containers suchas crown cap bottles can be connected to the middle connector. The innerconnector is suitable for flexible containers, for example plastic bagshaving a puncture port. A confusion with intravenous spikes is precludedby the use of the spike in combination with a connector. In addition,the connector is not screwed onto a spike system as previously usual,but is rather advantageously connected directly to the drip chamber orto the transfer system tube, which saves additional material andassembly costs.

In a further embodiment, the multipurpose connector in accordance withthe invention has a deaeration system. For this purpose, a ventingpassage is provided which preferably opens into the central distalconnector and whose inner opening terminates flush with the base of themiddle connector. A formation of residual liquid such as takes place inthe universal bottle closure known from EP 0 711 538 due to the presenceof a riser tube projecting beyond the base of the connector is therebyavoided.

The outer venting passage opening into which an assembly having abacteria-tight filter and a venting valve can be inserted is located inthe outer region of the connector. This positioning in the outer regionprevents a blockage and thus an interruption of the nutrition conveying.The nutrient conveying is also promoted by the design which only permitssmaller contact surfaces between the application medium and theconnector.

In accordance with claim 17, the invention furthermore relates to a setfor enteral application which comprises a transfer system and themultipurpose connector in accordance with the invention and which allowsthe connection of storage containers having differently designedopenings to the feed probe of a patient. Advantageous embodiments arethe subject of the claims dependent on claim 17.

Furthermore, the use of a multipurpose connector or of a set having atleast one such multipurpose in accordance with claim 18 is the subjectof the invention.

In a further development of the invention, the connector can comprisedifferent suitable materials familiar to the skilled person. In aspecial embodiment, the first part piece of the connector istransparent. This makes the spike visible and facilitates the puncturingprocess for the user.

The multipurpose connector can be provided with different connectionpossibilities familiar to the skilled person such as screw connections,snap connections or plug-in connections.

The set in accordance with the invention for the connection of nutrientand balancing liquid containers having differently designed openings toa feed probe comprises a transfer system and the multipurpose connectorin accordance with the invention. The set can include a drip chamber;the connection between the transfer system and one of the two proximalconnectors of the multipurpose connector can, however, also only beestablished via a tube.

Further details of the invention will be described in more detail withreference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. There are shown:

FIG. 1 a one-dimensional longitudinal section through an embodiment ofthe multipurpose connector in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 a three-dimensional longitudinal section through an embodiment ofthe multipurpose connector in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 3 a-c different views of the multipurpose connector in accordancewith the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2:

FIGS. 4 a-g different views of the first part piece of the multipurposeconnector in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 5 a-f different views of the second part piece of the multipurposeconnector in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 6 a one-dimensional longitudinal section through an alternativeone-piece embodiment of a multipurpose connector in accordance with theinvention.

The multipurpose connector shown in FIG. 1 comprises a first part pieceA and a second part piece B. The first part piece A includes an outerconnector A′ having an internal thread 1 for the connection ofwide-mouth bottles made of glass or plastic and sealing ribs 12, amiddle connector A″ having a snap connection 3 for the connection ofnarrow-mouth bottles and an inner connector A″′ as a guide having aninternal thread 4 for the connection of bags having puncture ports. Anincisor 2 for the opening of cover foils on wide-mouth containers islocated at the edge of the middle connector. The second part piece B hasa central spike 5 as a distal connector for puncturing in ports. Lateralmaterial cut-outs 7 at the base of the spike avoid the formation ofresidual liquid. The proximal side of the part piece B is tubular andserves as a drip former 8 on gravity-operated enteral feeding. A tubeadhesion point 9 for pump-assisted enteral feeding is located at the endof the drip former 8. The assembly of a drip chamber takes place via theprojection 10. All the connectors are arranged coaxially with respect toa common axis X-X.

Starting from the middle distal connector, a venting passage 6 isintegrated into the multipurpose connector. An assembly comprising anoutwardly disposed valve and a bacteria-tight filter can be insertedtherein. The inner venting passage opening 13 is located in the middledistal connector and terminates largely flush with its base. The outerventing passage opening 14 is vertically aligned.

The gripping lugs 11 outwardly attached to the multipurpose containercan be seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows the multipurpose connector in various views, with 3 arepresenting an outer view, 3 b representing a transverse section and 3c representing a longitudinal section with a connected port 15.

In FIGS. 4 a-g, different views are shown of the first part piece of themultipurpose connector in accordance with the invention; in FIGS. 5 a-fdifferent views of the second part piece.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative of the multipurpose connector as a one-pieceembodiment. The venting passage 6 is likewise located in the outerregion of the connector.

The inner venting opening 13 is still located in the middle distalconnector and terminates largely flush with its base; the outer ventingpassage opening 14 is, however, aligned horizontally.

After the connection of a storage container by screwing or placing ontoone of the connectors, the application medium flows into the transfersystem through the multipurpose connector along the line X-X via a dripchamber or a tube. The venting opening 6 ensures an undisturbed outflow.

1. A multipurpose container having three different distal connectorsdisposed concentrically in one another and coaxially to one another forthe connection of enteral transfer systems to storage containers havingdifferently designed openings, characterized in that two furtherconnectors are located at the oppositely disposed proximal side of theconnectors for the storage containers, in particular for nutrition andbalancing liquid containers.
 2. A multipurpose connector in accordancewith claim 1, characterized in that a tube can be connected to one ofthe two proximal connectors and a drip chamber can be connected to theother proximal connector.
 3. A multipurpose connector in accordance withclaim 1, characterized in that it is in two pieces.
 4. A multipurposeconnector in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the firstpart piece comprises the outer distal connector and the middle distalconnector and a part of the inner distal connector and the second partpiece comprises the other part of the inner distal connector and the twoproximal connectors.
 5. A multipurpose connector in accordance withclaim 3, characterized in that the first part piece includes a ventingpassage.
 6. A multipurpose connector in accordance with claim 5,characterized in that a bacteria-tight filter and a valve can beinserted into the venting passage as an outwardly disposed assembly. 7.A multipurpose connector in accordance with claim 5, characterized inthat the inner venting passage opening is arranged in the middle distalconnector.
 8. A multipurpose connector in accordance with claim 5,characterized in that the inner venting passage opening terminateslargely flush with the base of the middle connector.
 9. A multipurposeconnector in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the firstpart piece is transparent.
 10. A multipurpose connector in accordancewith claim 1, characterized in that the outer distal connector isprovided with a screw thread.
 11. A multipurpose connector in accordancewith claim 1, characterized in that the middle distal connector is madeas a snap connection.
 12. A multipurpose connector in accordance withclaim 1, characterized in that the inner distal connector comprises aguide having a thread and a central spike.
 13. A multipurpose connectorin accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the central spike haslateral material cut-outs for the better drainage of liquid.
 14. Amultipurpose connector in accordance with claim 10, characterized inthat wide-mouth containers, for example bottles having an outwardlydisposed wide-mouth thread, can be connected to the outer connector. 15.A multipurpose connector in accordance with claim 11, characterized inthat narrow-mouth containers such as crown cap bottles can be connectedto the middle connector.
 16. A multipurpose connector in accordance withclaim 12, characterized in that flexible containers, for example plasticbags having a puncture port, can be connected to the inner connector.17. A set for the connection of nutrient and balancing liquid containersto a feed probe having at least one multipurpose container in accordancewith claim
 1. 18. Use of a multipurpose container or of a set inaccordance with claim 1 for the connection of enteral transfer systemsto nutrient and balancing liquid containers having differently designedopenings.